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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 31, L20103, doi:10.1029/2004GL020398, 2004

Stratospheric influences on the tropospheric seasonal cycles of nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons

C. D. Nevison

Atmospheric Chemistry Division, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado, USA


D. E. Kinnison

Atmospheric Chemistry Division, NCAR, Boulder, Colorado, USA


R. F. Weiss

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA


Abstract

The stratospheric influence on the tropospheric seasonal cycles of N2O, CFC-11 (CCl3F), CFC-12 (CCl2F2) and CFC-113 (CCl2FCClF2) is investigated using observations from the AGAGE global trace gas monitoring network and the results of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM). WACCM provides the basis for a number of predictions about the relative amplitudes of N2O and CFC seasonal cycles and about the relative magnitude and phasing of seasonal cycles in the northern and southern hemispheres. These predictions are generally consistent with observations, suggesting that the stratosphere exerts a coherent influence on the tropospheric seasonal cycles of trace gases whose primary sinks are in the stratosphere. This stratospheric influence may complicate efforts to validate estimated source distributions of N2O, an important greenhouse gas, in atmospheric transport model studies.

Received 29 April 2004; accepted 17 September 2004; published 21 October 2004.

Index Terms: 0341 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere—constituent transport and chemistry (3334); 0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks; 0368 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere—constituent transport and chemistry; 3362 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Stratosphere/troposphere interactions.

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Citation: Nevison, C. D., D. E. Kinnison, and R. F. Weiss (2004), Stratospheric influences on the tropospheric seasonal cycles of nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L20103, doi:10.1029/2004GL020398.